MWC 2018 Top Stories: Galaxy S9 and Lots More

It's all happening

Mobile World Congress is just starting in Barcelona, Spain, but we've already seen a ton of major products announced. From Samsung's Galaxy S9 to Nokia's flagship competitor and its retro-cool banana phone, this show has the widest range of handsets imaginable.

That's not all, as we've also seen ZTE and Huawei place their best feet forward in budget phones and laptops. Oh, and if you're here for all the S9 news you can find, we've also examined its intriguing new dual-aperture cameras and found the best Galaxy S9 deals.

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The Galaxy S9 is finally here

Samsung finally revealed the Galaxy S9, but don't let its familiar looks fool you into thinking that this is a warmed-over S8. Not only does the S9 feature an updated Snapdragon 845 processor, but it's Super Speed Dual-Pixel camera offers much better low-light performance and and an impressive Super Slow-Mo video mode. Bixby is now smarter, too, with some nifty AR tricks up its sleeve. This smartphone can also double as your PC, thanks to the new Dex Pad.

The S9's impressive cameras

The biggest news in the Galaxy S9 is its camera, so we've gone in-depth into the lenses to show exactly what's changed. From improved photography in low-lit situations to the first smartphone cameras with adjustable aperture to even-slower-slow-mo and Samsung's AR Emoji, there's more than meets the eye to these shooters.

So, where should you buy the S9?

Where you buy the S9 can make all the difference. We've noticed that the S9 costs between $720 and $800, depending on how you purchase the handset. The larger S9+, though, can cost as much as $930, and as little as $840, so it pays to shop around.

Nokia's wide world of phones

Nokia's announced a ton of new phones, including the Nokia 8 Sirocco, which bears an edge-to-edge screen that reminds us of other flagship devices from LG, Samsung and Apple. There's also more-affordable Nokia 7 Plus and the Nokia 6, with features Bothie mode, which lets you take a photo that stacks images from the front and rear cameras. But that's not all we saw from Nokia …

This phone is bananas

Whether you call it a "banana phone" or a "candybar slider," the Nokia 8110 4G will make you rub your eyes and ask "what year is it?" Oh, and it's not without apps either, as you can get your Gmail, Google Maps and Outlook on this handset. And yes, 90's kids: it's also got Snake.

High-end features, on a budget phone

The 5.7-inch ZTE Blade V9 continues ZTE's propensity for packing features most people pay top dollar for into a budget phone. That includes dual rear cameras and a fantastic aluminum design that's both smooth and grippy.

Sony's pair of Xperia XZ2 phones

Sony launched two Xperia smartphones that (kinda) follow the trend of slimming bezels, with the left and right sides narrowing, while the top and bottom stay chunky. While the Xperia XZ2 features wireless charging, the smaller 5-inch XZ2 Compact is the breakout star in the making.

Henry is a senior writer at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, security and Apple. Prior to joining Tom's Guide — where he's the self-described Rare Oreo Expert — he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. You can find him at your local pro wrestling events, and looking for the headphone adapter that he unplugged from his iPhone.